The
Romans founded twocommunities of the two sides of the Douro River: PORTUS and CALE,
which gave the country its name PORTUGAL.

The
inhabitants of Porto are famed for their hard working nature, many of
them being shipbuilders, sailors, shipowners
and overseas merchants who contributed

for
the voyages of discovery across the Atlantic. The Prince Henry “the
Navigator” was born here and some of the fleets that set off to
conquer Portugal’s colonial empire werefitted out at the Porto shipyards.

In
the 18th. century the Port wine became
famous with the trade with British. Produced in the mountains of the Douro
River, it was transported by the river to the Porto on the “Rabelo”
boats, a singular boat of this river, traded and known all over the
World.

In
this 18th. century Porto became a rich town and a lot of Baroque
churches and houses were made, like the famous Church
of Clerigos with its famous tower
“ex-libris” of the city.

Porto
would indeed look very different without its Ponte
D.Luis I, the famous double-decker bridge that connects both the
highestand

lowers-lying
districts on either side of the River. This

marvellous
feat of engineering was erected in 1886.

Porto
is growing troughthe time
and it becomes more and more beautiful, important and modern. Gardens,
Universities, Libraries, Theatres, Sport Stadiums, Shopping Centres, the
Churches with several art stiles, the streets and squares , the
restaurants and Bars and its friendly peopleknown by his hospitalityand
solidarity.

Meanwhile, in this year of European
Capital of Culture,many public works are madeandPorto will be better such
a great European town.

Come
to visit us.

You
welcome.

J.Joao

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